Bangladesh: South Asia Enterprise Development Facility launches SME ' Market reports'

The reports compile a large volume of data about the key features of the financing needs and sources of 14 SME-segments, including women-led enterprises.
SEDF identified lack of credible information on SMEs as one of the major obstacles to the financial institutions (FIs) to finance the SMEs.

So, SEDF initiated a comprehensive project to bridge the existing information gap and improve the understanding of the SME-finance issues from the banker's perspective.
The reports are aimed at being used as a guidebook and benchmark for all the FIs to exploit the full potential of the SME-market in Bangladesh. The reports are expected to assist the organisations in formulating an SME-strategy as well as facilitating their SME-banking wing.

The manual can also be used as a tool to improve management and operational capability at three main levels including creation of specialised SME-banking departments and related SME-strategy.

The reports will also provide additional information to enable SEDF to continue its programme of encouraging and facilitating the increased provision of finance for SMEs in SEDF's four areas of interest. SEDF continues to examine other modalities and innovative programmes in its continuing work in SME-finance.

Background information
SEDF is a multi-donor-funded initiative, managed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group, established to promote growth of SMEs in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Northeast India.